Czech fans of the late French singer can see a tribute that has toured the world. Photo: Piaf!, The Show
By Raymond Johnston
Brno, Oct 24 (BD) – Fans of French singer Edith Piaf can of course no longer see her in concert, but they can still experience some of the magic in a touring tribute show. Piaf!, The Show is coming to Brno’s Sonocentrum Brno on Dec. 7.
Piaf!, The Show premiered in 2015 as a tribute to the singer called the Swallow of Montmartre on the centennial of her birth. It was inspired by the award-winning 2007 movie La Vie En Rose, which told the story of her tragic life. She was born Dec. 18, 1915, and died Oct. 10, 1963, from liver cancer but had long had health problems due to substance abuse.
The touring show, described as “a musical celebration of the life and music of the legendary French chanteuse,” has sold over half a million tickets in more than 30 countries. The highlight of the American leg of the world tour was at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 6, 2017, on the 60th anniversary of Edith Piaf’s last performance there.
The show is conceived and directed by theatrical producer Gil Marsalla and stars French performer Anne Carrere.
Marsalla first met Carrere in 2014, when she auditioned for another of his productions, Paris! Le Spectacle. Due to her natural charisma, Marsalla offered her the role of Edith Piaf in his new production.
“I have worked in show business – on and off stage – for 25 years and mounted shows around the world. But to this day, Anne Carrere is my greatest artistic discovery yet. Don’t you dare touch or polish her, she is a diamond that you want to keep raw – such is the nature of her pure and natural talent,” Marsalla said in a press release.
Two people who worked with Piaf, composer Charles Dumont and singer Germaine Ricord, were also impressed with Carrere. They compared her to Piaf at the top of her career.
The show in two 45-minute acts, tells the rags-to-riches story of the singer’s career through her songs, with a background of a visual tapestry of previously unreleased photographs and images of famous locations, to the accompaniment of four live French musicians.
The songs are in French, but the show is pitched at an international audience. Some familiarity with Piaf’s songs and life is perhaps helpful, though.
For more information visit Piaf!, The Show in Brno , or Facebook.
